Yes, I knew there would be more educational opportunities this summer! After all, it is “Field Day Season!”

I haven’t seen anything about an Agronomy Field Day at the Western Ag Research Station, but I did some sleuthing and found it! My contacts with Joe resulted in information for the Wednesday, July 18, program at the Research Station north of South Charleston: Topics to be addressed and speakers include Disease and Insect Scouting School with Kelley Tilmon, Anne Dorrance, and Andy Michel; Herbicide Mode of Action Training and Weed Challenges this Season with Mark Loux; Ohio Soil Fertility Research Update with Steve Culman; Water Quality Research Update from Libby Dayton; and Precision Planting and Smart Seed Firmers with Alex Lindsey.

This program is free and open to the public; lunch provided. Registration is at 8:30 a.m; the field day starts at 9 a.m. and runs to 4 p.m. There are CEUs for Certified Crop Advisers available. Pre-registration is required by July 11th. To RSVP, email Joe Davlin at [email protected] or Harold Watters at [email protected]. The Western Ag Research Station is located south of Springfield at 7721 State Route 41, west side of the road.

Name that Tree will be held at OSU Mansfield on Friday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. This day-long class will walk you through key terminology and introduce the use of a dichotomous key when trying to identify trees. The class will spend time in the morning working on samples and spend the afternoon outside identifying the many tree species that are scattered around the OSU Mansfield campus. Registration is $35 and includes lunch. You can find registration and more information at woodlandstewards.osu.edu under “upcoming classes,” or call 614-688-3421.

Ohio Sheep Day will be held Saturday, July 14, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., at the Eastern Ag Research Station in Caldwell. Some of the topics to be discussed include Implementing a Sheep Handling System to Make Your Sheep Operation More Efficient, Lambing Facility System That Works for a Large Sheep Operation, Increasing Efficiency With Improved Fencing and Watering Systems, and a Pasture Walk With the Experts. The cost is $15 for Ohio Sheep Improvement Association members; $25 for non-members and includes lunch. Contact Roger A. High at 614-246-8299 or by email at [email protected]. You can find more information at https://agnr.osu.edu/events/ohio-sheep-day-0.

Also on Saturday, July 14th, you have the opportunity to learn more about fish production in ponds. The Intensifying Pond Production of Fish will be held at the Millcreek Perch Farm, 10420 Watkins Road, Marysville, near the Millcreek Township Hall. The time is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Registration is $50 for Ohio Aquaculture Association members; $75 for non-members. You can contact Matthew Smith at 740-289-2071 Extension 121 or by email at [email protected] for questions and detailed information.

There is a Muck Crops Field Day, 9 a.m. to noon at the Muck Crops Agriculture Research Station, on State Route 103 South of Willard (Huron County, just south of Lake Erie) on Thursday, July 26. Now, I know we don’t grow muck crops around here, but the soils are interesting and it could be a bit of an eye-opening visit. If you’re interested, contact Bob Filbrun at 419.935.1201. This trip to the Willard area could also be paired with a visit to Stone Lab on Gibraltar Island that evening …

Yes, there is a Stone Lab Guest Lecture being held from 7 to 9 p.m. on the Island: The Research Brief begins at 7 p.m. with Craig Butler, director of Ohio EPA speaking at 8 p.m. There is free admission, but it does require a ferry ride (or your own boat or air transportation to Put-in-Bay) plus a $6 round-trip water taxi from the Boardwalk Restaurant dock, which leaves at 6:30 p.m., to Gibraltar. More information on this event is located at ohioseagrant.osu.edu, under “news” and then “events.” Scroll down to find the July 26 date.